Movement Therapy Classes

Movement Therapy

“Life is about rhythm.
We vibrate, our hearts are pumping blood.
We are a rhythm machine, that’s what we are.”
– Mickey Hart

If you like the idea of becoming more at home in the skin of your own body, of moving your body in a less self-conscious way, and if learning this feels scary to you, please know that I know that territory: it was scary for me when I started this work. Yet this way of working has been some of the most powerful, healing, and life-giving work I have ever done. We will go slow, very slow, only fast enough for you to feel safe enough to begin to release the life-long fear and tension you have held in your body. Eventually, the practices you learn will become natural resources for you to use whenever stress may come, and eventually you will just feel more relaxed, free and at home in your being. Feel free to reach out to me to discuss this work if you are still unsure.

Why engage in Movement Therapy

The more we study, research, and understand trauma, the more we are discovering just how traumatized we are, as individuals, and as a culture. The good news is that while we are becoming more aware of the depth and impact of trauma on our lives, we are also fortunate to be living in a time when so many people are discovering (and recovering) ways for us to heal, to become more integrated, empowered and embodied – ready to responsibly give our gift to the world in meaningful and fulfilling ways – and to learn to rest, restore, and receive.

For the last decade or so I have been following the wave of research and practices that are showing the necessity of combining attachment therapy, trauma therapy and movement therapy. We’ve been learning about the ways that trauma affects both our brain and our relationships and discovering that the most effective forms of trauma treatment are somatic, relational, and imaginal.  When we work simultaneously with the intelligences of the body, the heart, and the mind, we become more integrated. We need to have good relational psychotherapy (heart and mind work) and we also need to engage our body in safe ways in order to heal and to become more whole - because as the saying goes “the issues are [also] in the tissues”.

My Background and Approach to Movement Therapy

In addition to being a licensed psychotherapist, and for many years learning somatic-oriented psychotherapy from Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing), Pat Ogden (Sensorimotor Psychotherapy), and others, I am also a trauma-informed Yoga teacher (200 hour certification), a certified Let Your Yoga Dance teacher, and I have studied Chakra/Bioenergetic work for several years with Anodea Judith. In 2020 I completed a 3 ½ year comprehensive Movement Medicine® teacher and facilitator training program in England. 

Whether you wish to begin your therapy with me by first understanding your nervous system, exploring your attachment and relationship patterns, or trauma history, or if you have already explored those areas of your life and you want to focus on becoming more grounded, alive and at home in your body, we will go slowly and gradually build awareness through movement. I offer many ways to help calm the nervous system and to release energy patterns held in the body. Where and how we begin depends on each client’s experience, comfort level and access to internal and external resources. If you are new to movement therapy, there are many ways to experience becoming embodied while seated, eventually standing and moving will become more natural and easier, even enjoyable. You will never be pushed, forced, or shamed. This work is 100% about safety and riding the edge of “good scary.” We will stay in dialogue all along the way, noticing what works best for you at any given time. I look forward to accompanying you on this stretch of your journey.